This invention relates to Coriolis mass flowmeters. More particularly, this invention relates to a computer system for receiving customer orders of Coriolis flowmeters. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a system executed by a server which a customer may access from a remote system and input desired flow parameters and be given choices of Coriolis mass flowmeters to select from to order.
A Coriolis mass flowmeter measures mass flow and other information of materials flowing through a conduit in the flowmeter. Exemplary Coriolis flowmeters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,524 of Aug. 29, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,025 of Jan. 1, 1985, and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,450 of Feb. 11, 1982, all to J. E. Smith et al. These flowmeters have one or more conduits of straight or curved configuration. Each conduit configuration has a set of natural vibration modes, which may be of a simple bending, torsional or coupled type. Each conduit is driven to oscillate at resonance in one of these natural modes. Material flows into the flowmeter from a connected pipeline on the inlet side of the flowmeter, is directed through the conduit or conduits, and exits the flowmeter through the outlet side of the flowmeter. The material flowing through the pipeline may be gas, liquid, solid, and any combination of these three. The natural vibration modes of the vibrating, material filled system are defined in part by the combined mass of the conduits and the material flowing within the conduits.
When there is no flow through the flowmeter, all points along the conduit oscillate due to an applied driver force with identical phase or small initial fixed phase offset. As material begins to flow, Coriolis forces cause each point along the conduit to have a different phase. The phase on the inlet side of the conduit lags the driver, while the phase on the outlet side of the conduit leads the driver. Pick-off sensors on the conduit(s) produce sinusoidal signals representative of the motion of the conduit(s). Signals output from the pick-off sensors are processed to determine the phase difference between the pick-off sensors. The phase difference between two pick-off sensor signals is proportional to the mass flow rate of material through the conduit(s).
There are many different models of Coriolis flowmeters. Micro Motion Inc. of Boulder markets many types of Coriolis flowmeters. It is a problem for a user to determine a proper model of Coriolis flowmeter to be used in measuring mass flow rates through a pipeline.
In order to determine the flowmeter model of the proper size and parameters for a pipeline, flow stream parameters for the pipeline must be known. Flow stream parameters include material flow rate, material density, material viscosity, material temperature, material operating pressure. From these flow stream parameters, parameters for a flowmeter to insert into the pipeline can be determined. Flowmeter parameters include meter accuracy, pressure loss, and material velocity. The flowmeter parameters and flow stream parameters are used to determine the models of flowmeters that can be used to measure mass flow rate in the pipeline.
It is common to use software programs executed by a computer to determine the proper model. However, this requires that meter selection and sizing occur on premises where the computer executing the software resides. Heretofore, there has been no way for a user to log onto a computer to remotely access sizing software and order a desired flowmeter without the intervention of a human operator.
The above and other problems are solved and an advance in the art is made by a remote sizing and ordering system for a Coriolis flowmeter in accordance with this invention. The present invention allows a user to log in via a network connection. The network connection may either be via a modem, via Internet, via intranet, or any other network connection. The user may then orders a flowmeter that fits specification for the pipeline into which the flowmeter is to be inserted. This allows the user to order at any time of day and from anywhere in the world.
In accordance with this invention, a server computer stores and executes software that provides the remote sizing and ordering system of this invention. The server connects to a remote or client computer used by a user. The server then receives input flow stream parameters from a user. The input flow stream parameters are used by the server to determine flowmeter parameters. The flowmeter parameters are used by the server to determine whether at least one model of flowmeter suitable for the flowmeter parameters.
The server may generate a display including the at least one model suitable for the flow meter parameters. The display is transmitted to the remote computer and displayed to the customer. The user then selects one of the at least one models and transmits a request for the selection to the server. The server receives the request for at least one model.
The server may then transmit a display to the remote computer of configuration options. The user selects the configurations options and transmits the selected options to the server. The server receives the configuration options from the user. Some of the configurations options include a process connection type, the process connection size, a power supply type which may include either Alternating Current (AC) or Direct Current (DC), and whether to have a local display.
The server may receive the following input flow stream parameters; a flow rate of material, a density of material, a viscosity of material, a temperature of material, and a material operating pressure. The server calculates the following flowmeter parameters from the input flow stream parameters. The flowmeter parameters include meter accuracy, pressure loss and fluid velocity.
After the user has configured a flowmeter, the flowmeter configuration may be stored in an electronic shopping cart. The customer then places an order for a flowmeter from configured flowmeters in the shopping cart. The server generates a message and transmits the order to a manufacturing department that produces and ships the flowmeter to the customer.
One aspect of the invention includes a method for providing remote ordering and configuring of flowmeters, the method comprising the steps of:
in a server,
receiving input flow stream parameters over a network from a computer, wherein said server receives said input flow stream parameters from said computer that is remotely located from said server,
determining flowmeter parameters from said input flow stream parameters;
determining whether at least one flowmeter is suitable for said flowmeter parameters;
transmitting information on said at least one flowmeter to said computer over said network for display to a user;
receiving a selection of one of said at least one flowmeter displayed to said user from said computer over said network;
transmitting an order for said selected flowmeter to a department for shipping of said selected flowmeter to said user; and
after said user receives said select flowmeter, remotely configuring said selected flowmeter by connecting said selected flowmeter to said server through said computer.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of:
in the server,
transmitting configuration options to said computer over said network for display to said user; and
receiving at least one of the configuration options selected by said user.
Preferably, the step of receiving said at least one of said configuration options comprises the step of receiving a process connection type for connection to a flowmeter.
Preferably, the step of receiving a process connection type includes the step of: receiving a process connection size for said process connection type.
Preferably, the step of receiving said at least one of said configuration options comprises the step of receiving a power supply type for a flowmeter.
Preferably, the step of receiving a power supply type comprises the step of receiving a request for an Alternating Current (AC) power supply.
Alternatively, the step of receiving a power supply type comprises the step of receiving a request from a Direct Current (DC) power supply.
Preferably, the step of receiving said at least one of said configuration options comprises the step of receiving a request for a local display.
Preferably, the step of receiving said input flow stream parameters comprises the step of receiving a material flow rate.
Preferably, the step of receiving said input flow stream parameters comprises the step of receiving a material density.
Preferably, the step of receiving said input flow stream parameters comprises the step of receiving a material viscosity.
Preferably, the step of receiving said input flow stream parameters comprises the step of receiving a material temperature.
Preferably, the step of receiving said input flow stream parameters comprises the step of receiving an operating material pressure.
Preferably, the selected flowmeter comprises a Coriolis flowmeter.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of:
in said server,
transmitting a request for said flow stream parameters over said network to said computer for display to said user.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of adding said selected flowmeter to an electronic shopping cart.
Preferably, the step of transmitting an order for said selected flowmeter comprises the step of transmitting said order to a manufacturing department for flowmeters.
Preferably, the step of transmitting an order for said selected flowmeter comprises the steps of:
generating an e-mail of said order; and
transmitting said e-mail to said department.
Preferably, the step of determining said flowmeter parameters comprises the step of calculating flowmeter accuracy.
Preferably, the step of determining said flowmeter parameters comprises the step of calculating pressure loss.
Preferably, the step of determining said flowmeter parameters comprises the step of calculating fluid velocity.
Preferably, the network comprises the Internet.
Preferably, the step of remotely configuring said selected flowmeter comprises the step of connecting said selected flowmeter to said server over said network.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of:
in said server,
transmitting a request for billing information to said computer over the network for display to the user, responsive to said order.
Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of:
in said server,
receiving said billing information from said computer over said network; and storing said billing information.